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District outlines steps to reduce discipline disproportionalities, cites restorative practices and MTSS
Summary
District staff presented discipline data showing disproportionality among some racial and program groups and described multi-tiered interventions, restorative-practices training and a new grant for homeless-student supports.
Sumner School District staff told the board they are tracking disproportionality in suspension and expulsion incidents and are implementing multi-tiered and restorative approaches to reduce those disparities.
Presenters shared risk ratios for 2025 by subgroup (district figures presented in the meeting): American Indian/Alaska Native about 1.5, Black/African American about 1.83, Asian about 0.4, Multiracial about 1.33. Program-level ratios presented included special education (~2.79), free/reduced lunch (~3.51) and McKinney-Vento/homeless (~3.76). Presenters warned small subgroup populations can skew ratios because the calculation uses incident counts rather than unique students.
District staff described interventions already in place: four years of restorative-practices work, school-level MTSS tier 2 and tier 3 response teams that run six- to nine-week data cycles, use of community circles, behavior-specialist coaching and building-level plans to monitor fidelity. A district behavior specialist (Dr. Summerbrook, referenced by staff) has been integrating restorative practices into behavior plans and training teachers to apply those practices systematically.
Staff also announced a grant award to expand tutoring, social-emotional learning (SEL) and related supports for students experiencing homelessness. Board members asked whether teachers feel supported; presenters said teacher feedback and pulse data indicate restorative approaches have increased student participation and that professional learning is ongoing.
The board did not vote on policy changes at the study session; presenters said next steps will include continued training, data monitoring and expansion of targeted interventions to the highest-need buildings.
